TY - JOUR
T1 - Fused
T2 - a promising molecular target for an RNAi-based strategy to manage Bt resistance in Plutella xylostella (L.)
AU - Kang, Shi
AU - Sun, Dan
AU - Qin, Jianying
AU - Guo, Le
AU - Zhu, Liuhong
AU - Bai, Yang
AU - Wu, Qingjun
AU - Wang, Shaoli
AU - Zhou, Xuguo
AU - Guo, Zhaojiang
AU - Zhang, Youjun
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2022/1
Y1 - 2022/1
N2 - Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a naturally occurring entomopathogenic soil bacterium, has been the active ingredient of sprayable Bt biopesticides for over a century. Insecticidal Bt Cry proteins are particularly well suited for use as plant-incorporated protectants in transgenic crops (Bt crops) due to their specificity against insect pests and safety for non-target organisms. The sustainability of these Bt products, however, has been challenged by the development of resistance in the field. RNA interference (RNAi), a species-specific control alternative that has been deregulated and commercialized in the USA and Canada, provides a new mode of action to complement the existing Bt products. Based on our preliminary research, we hypothesized that pyramiding/integrating Bt with RNAi can address/manage resistance issues related to Bt traits. To examine this overarching hypothesis, we (1) cloned and characterized a serine/threonine kinase gene (fused) of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), a global superpest; (2) profiled Pxfused expression in Bt-resistant P. xylostella strains; and (3) investigated the involvement of Pxfused in Bt Cry1Ac resistance in P. xylostella. Pxfused expression was elevated ubiquitously in all Bt-resistant strains, and silencing of Pxfused led to larval and pupal mortality in both Cry1Ac-susceptible and -resistant strains, suggesting that Pxfused is a potential target for RNAi-based resistance management. Taken together, our results not only identify a molecular target to control a devastating lepidopteran pest, but also shed light on a novel resistance management strategy through the integration of two biotechnological techniques with distinct modes of action.
AB - Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a naturally occurring entomopathogenic soil bacterium, has been the active ingredient of sprayable Bt biopesticides for over a century. Insecticidal Bt Cry proteins are particularly well suited for use as plant-incorporated protectants in transgenic crops (Bt crops) due to their specificity against insect pests and safety for non-target organisms. The sustainability of these Bt products, however, has been challenged by the development of resistance in the field. RNA interference (RNAi), a species-specific control alternative that has been deregulated and commercialized in the USA and Canada, provides a new mode of action to complement the existing Bt products. Based on our preliminary research, we hypothesized that pyramiding/integrating Bt with RNAi can address/manage resistance issues related to Bt traits. To examine this overarching hypothesis, we (1) cloned and characterized a serine/threonine kinase gene (fused) of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), a global superpest; (2) profiled Pxfused expression in Bt-resistant P. xylostella strains; and (3) investigated the involvement of Pxfused in Bt Cry1Ac resistance in P. xylostella. Pxfused expression was elevated ubiquitously in all Bt-resistant strains, and silencing of Pxfused led to larval and pupal mortality in both Cry1Ac-susceptible and -resistant strains, suggesting that Pxfused is a potential target for RNAi-based resistance management. Taken together, our results not only identify a molecular target to control a devastating lepidopteran pest, but also shed light on a novel resistance management strategy through the integration of two biotechnological techniques with distinct modes of action.
KW - Bacillus thuringiensis
KW - Plutella xylostella
KW - RNA interference
KW - Resistance management
KW - fused
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U2 - 10.1007/s10340-021-01374-3
DO - 10.1007/s10340-021-01374-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85104555752
SN - 1612-4758
VL - 95
SP - 101
EP - 114
JO - Journal of Pest Science
JF - Journal of Pest Science
IS - 1
ER -